One of the most famous savory Dutch recipes: Dutch sausage rolls! In the Netherlands we call these sausage rolls in bread dough “worstenbroodjes”. With this recipe, you can make them quickly and easily all by yourself!
We have multiple sausage rolls here in The Netherlands. This recipe is made with a simple bread dough. Other sausage rolls are made with buttery puff pastry, those are called ‘saucijzenbroodjes’. Very popular as well, I will share my recipe soon.
Back to these ‘worstenbroodjes’. The orignal and authentic recipe originates in the province of Brabant, which is why they are often called “Brabantse worstenbroodjes”. These sausage rolls are most popular in the south of the Netherlands.
For this recipe, I discovered something fun while researching authentic recipes for (and stories about) Brabantse worstenbroodjes. Apparently, it is a tradition in Brabant to eat a delicious warm sausage roll together around midnight after the Christmas Eve service.
Meanwhile, I have received confirmation of this tradition from the necessary ‘Brabanders’ I know, so fortunately this beautiful tradition is still alive. Even during Carnival in february (also very popular in the south), the rolls are eaten in large quantities and sold in the local bakeries.
The recipe for these sausage rolls makes 20 pieces. At first, I thought that was a bit much, but trust me, you will want to make them all. They are so delicious that you can eat them over and over again.
Even better, you will (probably) have enough to freeze some as well, waiting for a (delicious) lunch. In terms of time, it doesn’t really matter whether you make 10 or 20 rolls, so you’d better make enough of them right away, right?
As for the filling, people from the province of Brabant often keep their filling on the bland side. While this may be the authentic recipe, I added some mustard myself for more flavor. Feel free to experiment with more herbs and spices, I will definitely do that again myself.
For now, I wanted to stay as close to the original as possible, because these are just delicious. Instead of adding extra mustard or spices, you can also dip your sandwich in a nice (mustard)sauce.
I haven’t tested it myself, but according to other Laura’s Bakery readers it works just fine: set the temperature of the air fryer to 180°C/350°F (conventional oven) and follow the baking time according to the recipe. Also, keep an eye on the rolls themselves toward the end of the baking time, as it can vary from one appliance to another.
I prefer to freeze them freshly baked. Just wrap them well after cooling down and they will last up to three months in the freezer. You can also freeze them unbaked. Just wrap them in a piece of parchment paper so they don’t stick together. Unbaked, they will keep in the freezer for up to two months.
Once thawed, the best way to reheat the rolls is in a pre-heated oven at 170°C/340°F (conventional oven) for 5-10 minutes. This may vary slightly from oven to oven, so keep an eye on the rolls after the first five minutes.
If the rolls are frozen when you want to reheat them, you should allow about 10-15 minutes at the same temperature as above.
Absolutely. Just follow the same instructions as for the oven, but at a slightly lower temperature: 160°C/320°F (conventional oven). Keep an eye on the rolls after the first five minutes.
I love everything speculaas, it’s the Dutch version of gingerbread. Gevulde speculaas is a traditional Dutch pastry that most people make for Sinterklaas, a Dutch holiday. Is exists of 2 layers of speculaas cookie with a good layer of almond paste in between. It’s delicious!
We love the combination of almonds and speculaas in The Netherlands. Filled speculaas is the most popular Dutch treat with these two flavors. The cookie layers are made with speculaas spices and the almonds are needed for the layer of almond filling.
December 5th is our holiday Sinterklaas (he is the Dutch Santa Claus), and the gevulde speculaas is one of the most popular snacks for this day. Other sweet treats that are popular for Sinterklaas are pepernoten (little spiced cookies), marzipan figures, banketstaaf (almond paste filled puff pastry log) and more!
If you want to buy this in store, you need to be in The Netherlands at the right time, because it’s not sold year-round. Most stores will start selling it in august or september and it’s available trough the beginning of december. Sinterklaas arrives by steamboat mid-November, and after that moment al Sinterklaas treats are becoming really popular. And after Sinterklaas, we’re getting ready for Christmas.
Unlike the gevulde speculaas in stores, I prefer a little more speculaas cookie and less almond paste. You can see in my pictures that there is a modest layer of almond paste in between. Just right for me.
That’s the beauty of homemaking, you make it just the way you like it. This recipe calls for filled speculoos with a modest layer of almond paste, but make it just the way you like it. Do you prefer a thick layer of almond paste? Just put more in between, it’s that easy!
Most ingredients are easy to find, no matter where you live. But other are maybe a bit harder when you don’t live in The Netherlands. Speculaas spice mix for example, but I have my own recipe for that so you can make it yourself!
Absolutely. In this recipe, I use a 20 x 20 cm (8 x 8 inch) square pan, but you can also use a baking pan with a similar surface area. Want to convert the recipe to a round pan? Use my conversion calculator. If you use the button in my recipe card (below the small picture), all the ingredients will be filled in automatically for you.
Yes, you can. You can easily replace the egg processed through the almond paste with 20 ml of milk (dairy-free or otherwise) or applesauce. In this case, use (oat)milk instead of the egg wash as well.
I suppose you can, but I don’t recommend it because marzipan is much sweeter and has a different structure.
Maybe you added too much milk or didn’t wrap the dough properly before putting it in the fridge and condensation formed on the dough.
How do you fix it? Simple: add a little extra flour to the dough and dust your countertop well with flour before rolling out.
Of course! I use it for smaller speculaas cookies often.
I have an authentic Dutch cookies recipe for you guys: gevulde koeken! With this recipe you can make the most delicious almond paste filled cookies all by yourself. They are not difficult to make and in no time you will be enjoying homemade gevulde koeken with a hot cup of coffee or tea.
The ‘gevulde koek’ is such a typical Dutch cookie that you just have to try to make it in your own kitchen. The cookies are made with a delicious butterry dough with a (homemade) almond paste filling. They are supposed to be made in a round shape, and usually a few sliced almonds are sprinkled on top just before they go into the oven.
When making almond paste stuffed cookies, you can make it as easy as you like. You can make the cookies with store-bought almond paste, or you can make your own almond paste. It’s very easy, but you should keep in mind that your almond paste should ideally mature in the refrigerator for a while if you make it yourself.
Want to make homemade almond paste for the filling? I’ve got you! Try my recipe for easy almond paste to make you own almond filling.
For me, almond paste filled cookies are inextricably linked with almond paste, but if you have an allergy, I can understand wanting to replace it with something that comes closest in taste. You could replace the almonds in the almond paste with pistachios or pecans for example. A second option is to stuff the cookies with pieces of apple or pear instead of almond paste.
After chilling, let your cookie dough warm up a bit or try kneading it by hand first to make it softer and smoother. Then roll it out as described in the recipe.
There are a few different options I’d like to share. You can freeze the baked cookies, and even the unbaked (but already filled) cookies. Place some parchment paper between the cookies if they’re unbaked when you freeze them. Allow to thaw in the refrigerator 24 hours before baking, then bake according to the recipe.
No matter how you freeze them, they will keep fresh for up to 3 months in the freezer. Store them in an airtight container.
You can make them as big or as small as you like. In fact, you can even bake them into a filled sheet cake if you want.
I use a round cookie cutter set to cut out the round dough patches for the cookies (like this one). You can choose different sizes. Just keep in mind that smaller cookies should bake a little shorter and larger cookies a little longer, best to test for yourself.
For anyone who loves the fresh flavors of summer, you’ll want to make these easy lemon bars! These fresh summer cookie bars with a lemon curd-like layer are impossible to resist.
As early as spring, I start to crave summer flavors and use lemon in many of my recipes. Lemon bars are the perfect recipe to make at this time of year. And in the fall, I still can’t quite let go of those summer flavors. For those who want to hold on to that summer feeling a little longer, or for those who just love anything with lemon flavor, you have found the perfect recipe.
I first came across the concept of lemon bars years ago on Pinterest. After trying several recipes, I finally created my own version. In this recipe, you make a layer of shortbread with a fresh, creamy lemon layer on top that is reminiscent of lemon curd. If you love lemon curd as much as I do, you will definitely approve of these lemon bars! Because you bake the lemon layer in the oven with the pre baked shortbread, it blends in with the cookie base, making it incredibly delicious.
Do you love lemon? Then these lemon bars are sure to please. The cookie base is shortbread, and on top of that is a creamy lemon filling that tastes like lemon curd, but is a little different in terms of ingredients.
For example, there is no butter in the lemon filling, but there is a good amount of eggs, which provide the binding and firmness. The result is a delicious lemon bar that is perfect for high tea, a picnic or as a dessert. Also great for bake sales with a nice glass of lemonade.
You don’t need much to make these classic lemon bars, but sometimes when a recipe is easy, you’ll want to be extra sure if you use the right ingredients. So I’ll make a quick list of the ingredients for this lemon bar recipe.
At last: all ingredients need to be on room temperature before you start making this easy recipe.
As I mentioned before, I love to bake with lemon. If you love lemon bars, you will love my lemon curd! Everything is delicious with homemade lemon curd. I use it in a lot of desserts to, I really love lemon desserts.
Another delicious recipe is my perfect lemon loaf. I love this recipe and make it every summer, preferably several times.
Store them in an airtight container and place a sheet of parchment paper between the lemon bars to keep them from sticking together. They will keep fresh for up to 3 months in the freezer.
There is no difference, both lemon squares and lemon bars are American names for the same thing: a shortbread cookie base topped with a creamy lemon layer.
No, the preparation of the two lemon fillings is different and store-bought or homemade lemon curd will not work in this recipe.
They’re not supposed to be. The lemon layer somehow melts into the crunchy shortbread base and loses its crunch. That’s part of the charm of this recipe, a creamy lemon cake.
According to other readers, you can use vegan butter/(hard) margarine to replace the butter to make dairy free lemon bars, but there will be a change in flavor.
I used a baking pan, which is about 20 x 30 cm, but you can also use a 25 x 25 cm baking pan. You can use a metal pan, but a stoneware baking dish works too.
Imagine this: a delicious, creamy banana bread that tastes like a real treat. Look no further, this is the right recipe for you! The cream cheese mixed into the batter makes the most perfect cream cheese banana bread. You will love it!
I love a good banana bread. I make my recipe for healthy banana bread the most, but sometimes I love to make this banana bread with cream cheese. Where my healthy banana bread has no sugar of butter in it, this one does call for butter and sugar. And more important: cream cheese! It really takes a banana bread to the next level.
There are multiple ways of incorporating cream cheese into you banana bread. I chose to add it to the batter for that perfect creamy and moist results. But you could also make a banana bread with cream cheese filling by adding a sort of a cheese cake mixture in the batter before baking.
Another delicious variation: add a cream cheese frosting to your banana loaf after baking! To be honest, you could even do that with the recipe for my cream cheese banana bread. I’ll promise it will taste amazing with a cream cheese layer!
The recipe speaks for itself, but I will share some tips with you so you get the best results and this will become your favorite banana bread recipe!
Most important: the bananas! I always use overripe bananas for the best result. Mash the bananas with a fork or use a hand blender. It’s perfectly fine to have some lumps in your mashed banana. But if you like a more smooth batter, use a hand blender.
For my healthy banana bread I only use a whisk or spatula to make the batter, but for this recipe you will need an electric mixer. It’s important to mix butter, cream cheese and sugar into a creamy mixture and a electric hand- or stand mixer with the paddle attachment is best for that. Unless you have very strong arms 😉 .
The entire recipe is in the recipe card down below. But it’s actually no more than mix all the wet ingredients together and then add your dry ingredients and mix until incorporated. After that, you’ll pour the batter into a prepared loaf pan and your easy banana bread recipe is ready for the oven!
Oh and for preparing you loaf pan: you can use a nonstick spray, grease it with butter and dust with flour or just line it with parchment paper. Just pick you favorite way for a prepared baking pan.
And after baking: enjoy you best homemade banana bread recipe ever!
I’ve written a separate blog post about this subject. So if you want to know everything about storing banana bread, I recommend to read that post. Just looking for some quick tips? I will share them here!
I like to store my banana bread in slices. If you store them together in a container or freezer bag, make sure to put some pieces of parchment paper between the slices. This will prevent them from sticking together.
Before you wrap up you loaf for storing on room temperature or in the freezer: make sure you have let it cool to room temperature on a wire rack.
You can, but it is possible that the baking time will change a bit. I haven’t tried this myself, so I can’t tell you exactly how long it will need.
Of course! Just add in some chocolate chips, a swirl of peanut butter or some nuts. I bet it will taste amazing! I think I’m gonna try a chocolate chip banana bread myself the next time!
Yes it is. You can just replace the caster sugar with the same amount of brown sugar.
Again: yes you can! The recipe will make about 10-12 muffins. Bake them for 20-22 minutes (or until done).
Although both are a leaving agent, they are not the same in ‘strenght’. It is possible to make this recipe with baking soda, but the recipe will need a few adjustments. I haven’t tried this myself and therefore can’t share these adjustments.
Fan of mug cakes, but craving a more healthy afternoon snack? This recipe for a healthy banana bread mug cake is the one you’re looking for! You can make this recipe in the oven and in the microwave.
I used my favorite banana bread recipe and made that into a mug cake recipe. My banana bread is made without sugar, oil or butter and is a pretty healthy (and delicious!) snack. Perfect for a healthy mug cake and an easy and quick alternative to a slice of banana bread.
I like eating it for breakfast, but I made it the other night as a late-night dessert with a scoop of ice cream and that’s probably going to happen more often as I enjoyed that dessert a lot.
Use a microwave-safe mug, those are often also oven safe. But make sure to check that before baking. I like to use a coffee mug or other large mug. You want to make sure there is plenty of room for the mug cake as it rises in the oven.
The recipe calls for two bananas to make 2 mug cakes. But if you only have 1 overripe banana, just halve all the ingredients for 1 mug cake. You will also need to use halve an egg. The other half could be used with some extra eggs for an omelet or something.
You just need a few simple ingredients to make this delicious banana mug cake. I like to put them together in a small bowl and stir the ingredients with a spatula before putting the batter in the mug.
And that’s all you need to make your own little banana cake! As you can see, I don’t use sugar, the banana add enough sweetness. But if you’re a sweet tooth, you could add some brown sugar or maple syrup to the batter.
To make the batter, you start with the banana, egg and vanilla extract. After those wet ingredients are combined, you can add all the dry ingredients at once. Just mix it up until incorporated and your cake batter is done.
At first, I wanted to develop a recipe for a mug cake you could make in the oven as that was something I got asked for a lot. But I decided to try and make this recipe for the microwave as well.
I’m happy to say this recipe can be made in the microwave and in the oven, I’ll share the directions for both options.
If you have a microwave on hand, this is the quickest way to make your mug cake. I baked it for 140 seconds (2 minutes and 20 seconds) at 800 watts. The cooking time may vary due to the strength of your microwave.
Bake the mug cakes for 20-25 minutes at 180 °C/350 °F. Don’t bake them too long, as you want a moist cake and baking it too long may result in a dry banana cake.
Here you can see my mug cake, made in the microwave:
The most important thing is to choose a microwave-safe mug that is large enough (250-300 ml/8,5-10 oz). The cake rises in the oven, so make sure there is enough room for the batter to rise.
While the mug cake tastes amazing just as it is, I like to add a scoop of (Greek) yogurt and some banana slices for breakfast. If I make a dessert out of it, a scoop of ice cream is a great addition
The mug cake is best when it comes out of the microwave and is still warm. As it cools, it dries out and is not nearly as tasty.
This easy recipe for a chocolate mug cake without eggs can be made in minutes! Just stir a handful of simple ingredients, pop your mug in the microwave and enjoy. If you love mug cake recipes, this chocolate mug cake will be definitely one of your favorites. And even better: no eggs needed for this recipe!
In the early 2000s, mug cakes became very popular in America and a few years later they were popular in The Netherlands too. I thought the idea of a cake in a mug that you could microwave in just two minutes was brilliant for a sweet tooth like me and made it for the first time a few years ago.
Unfortunately, my first chocolate microwave cake recipe didn’t turn out so well. It was not tasty at all and not even close to a fluffy mug cake. At that moment, I was done with mug cakes and didn’t think about them for a long time. It took me a few years to try again and develop a recipe for this small batch dessert.
My first (new) attempt at making a chocolate mug cake was pretty okay, but I decided to make some changes to the recipe. A few mug cakes later, I came up with a recipe that is similar to a regular chocolate cake. It’s the best mug cake I’ve ever tried. Very tasty!
It’s not exactly the same, of course. It can’t be, because the ingredients are different. Still, I was pleasantly surprised, and it proves that a microwave mug cake can be really tasty! And more important: I don’t need to bake an entire cake when I’m craving some chocolate cake.
This question came up so often that I really had test it for you. With a simple adjustment in the recipe, you can bake this chocolate mug cake in the oven. You add 2 grams of baking powder (a little less than half a teaspoon) to the cake batter and then bake your little cake in the oven at 180°C/350°F (top and bottom heat) for 20-25 minutes until done.
Test the cake with a cake skewer to make sure it is done, otherwise leave it in the oven for a few more minutes. It’s a great recipe with a little adjustment to bake in the oven.
Want to bake more than one cupcake in the oven? Take my recipe for chocolate cake and divide it by four, for example, to make two to three cup cakes. In my opinion, this is still the most perfect recipe for baking a delicious cake in the oven.
I have made many mug cakes over the years and I will absolutely translate all those recipes for you and share them here. Here are a few that I already shared with you:
Did you know you could also add some ingredients to this chocolate mug cake for some variation? Some of my favorites:
The most important thing is to choose a microwave-safe mug that is large enough (250-300 ml/8,5-10 oz). The cake rises in the oven, so make sure there is enough room for the batter to rise.
No, it doesn’t taste the same, and frankly, I think real chocolate cake tastes the best. But now imagine you have an incredible craving for chocolate cake and want to eat it right now, this chocolate mug cake is a great idea! You always have the ingredients, and to make it a real party, you can serve it with some whipped cream.
Yes, you can! In this case, use a combination of all purpose flour and baking powder to replace the self rising flour.
Yes, substitute the dairy milk for almond milk, oat milk or soy milk and you will have a vegan mug cake with chocolate.
Most likely your microwave was not set to the correct wattage. When cooking in the microwave, a small adjustment in wattage, or 10-20 seconds more or less, can make a huge difference in the result. Next time, you can lower the wattage or shorten the time you microwave your chocolate mug cake.
I mostly use caster sugar for my mug cakes, but you could also use brown sugar for this recipe.
I love to make healthy snacks. I always bake large batches and then freeze them so I can always grab something tasty when I get a craving. These applesauce muffins are always in my freezer. It’s a great recipe that is often used in this household.
You don’t need any sugar or butter. I just added a bit of oil to make really moist muffins. They are not hard to make, so add them to your collection of easy recipes!
These muffins are sweetened with applesauce, so they have no added sugar. I always use (homemade) unsweetened applesauce for baking. I will share my recipe for homemade applesauce soon. Don’t have enough time to make it yourself? Store-bought applesauce works perfectly fine. If you want to keep them as healthy as possible, I would advice to buy the unsweetened kind.
Because there is no sugar in them, they are not very sweet in taste, which may take some getting used to if you have a sweet tooth. I got used to it quickly and everyone who tried it liked it very much.
Do you like sweet applesauce muffins? Then of course you can add some brown sugar to the batter. Coconut sugar is possible as well.
This recipe makes 8 small muffins, perfect as a small treat or snack. I bake them in regular-size muffins cups. I love to use silicone muffin liners for this recipe, so they won’t stick.
Don’t want to make a small amount of muffins? You can easily double or even triple the ingredients and bake a large batch of healthy muffins.
After baking these healthy muffins, place them on a wire rack and let them cool completely. Store them in an airtight container once they are on room temperature. On the kitchen counter, they will stay fresh for about 4-5 days. If it’s summer or you live in a warmer climate, it’s possible they stay fresh a little less longer.
You could also freeze your homemade applesauce muffins. You can keep them for up to 3 months in the freezer. Place some pieces of parchment paper between the muffins so they don’t stick to each other. This way it’s easy to grab one as a snack. Just let the muffin thaw on the counter for about an hour.
I love to make small changes to the original recipe and It almost never happens I make recipes exactly the same the second time. I will share some variations which I have tried with this recipe:
Of course, just substitute the all purpose flour with whole wheat flour. No need for any further changes in the recipe.
Yes you can! I bet they would be delicious with some cream cheese frosting on top. Moist cupcakes, creamy swirl on top, yum!
Yes! I can confirm they taste amazing with the addition of small apple pieces.
Again: yes! It has to bake for a bit longer, start with 45-50 minutes and check after that if a cupcake tester comes out clean.
You can’t just leave it out. But it is possible to replace the sunflower oil for coconut oil for example.
Time for another Dutch recipe: egg cakes! We call them ‘eierkoeken’ in The Netherlands and they are sort of a ligt and airy sponge cakes, very fluffy. You could even call it an egg sponge cake. They are known as a snack. Just plain, or with whipped cream and fresh berries.
Baking egg cakes is actually a bit like making a very airy sponge cake for a delicious cake. In fact, just like a sponge cake, the base for an egg cake batter is eggs, sugar, and flour. And perhaps more importantly (and to the surprise of many), you don’t use butter to bake these small cakes.
Some people separate the egg whites and egg yolks, but i don’t do that. I just put the whole eggs in a large bowl and mis them several minutes on high speed until they are light and fluffy. I always have the best results this way.
Eierkoeken were made famous by the Dutch Sonja Bakker, she is a well known dietician and advices to eat egg cakes as a healthy snack when following her program. I wouldn’t say eierkoeken are very healthy, but they are a good snack indeed.
You can even make a nice treat out of them by piping a nice swirl of whipped cream on an egg cake and add some fresh fruit. Not a healthy snack, but many people think it’s a nice alternative to a slice of cake or pie. And I do agree with that.
A homemade egg cake is best stored on room temperature. Don’t store them in de fridge, as they will dry out faster in here. I always store the egg cakes in an airtight container or a plastic bag. Packed airtight and stored out of the refrigerator, the egg cakes will keep for up to 4 days.
If you’ve made a lot of egg cakes, it’s a good idea to freeze them. That way, you can take an egg cake out of the freezer every day to enjoy as a snack later in the day.
Freezing an egg cake works the same way, wrap it tightly airtight. Personally, I like to put a piece of baking paper between each cake so they don’t stick together and I can easily take a single cake out of the freezer and let it thaw.
Over the years, I have made many different flavors eierkoeken. With apple and cinnamon, blueberries and even chocolate egg cakes. I will share some more egge cake recipes in the future, but here are some ideas in the mean time:
No, I would not, as this will add (too much) moisture to the recipe and will not improve the end result. Optionally, you could add a few drops of lemon extract to replace the lemon zest.
I have been asked this question many times. I’ve never tried it, and since I like these homemade egg cakes better than store-bought, I don’t expect I will try this anytime soon.
The egg cakes you’ll find in stores are often made with ammonium carbonate, but it’s an ingredient which many home bakers can’t find easily. I don’t miss it in my recipe and it makes it a lot easier.
You can replace the flour and some of the baking powder with self-rising flour, but you will still need to add baking powder to get the right airy effect.
The egg cakes were baked a bit too long, I recommend you try to bake them a bit shorter next time. Every oven is different. By the way, these homemade egg cakes are a little more chewy after cooling than the ones you’re used to from the store.
Please note that I use an convention, so if you have a fan oven, lower the temperature by 10-20%.
Oh dear, that’s not intentional. This can happen for several reasons:
Looking from more authentic recipes form The Netherlands? Make sure to check my collection of Dutch recipes!
I’m not the only one that enjoys homemade cupcakes. Are you wondering what’s the best way to store cupcakes? Look no further, you’ve come to the right place. I will tell you everything about how to store and freeze cupcakes. I’ll share my tips voor frosted and unfrosted cupcakes, and even tell you a bit more about cupcakes decorated with fondant or marzipan. This way, you always have fresh cupcakes.
For those just starting out in baking, you may not immediately know what cupcakes are. They are actually small one-person cakes that used to be baked in a “cup,” hence the name. If you’re looking for a nice recipe: these strawberry cupcakes are one of my favorite cupcake recipes.
Although I myself always thought that cupcakes came from England, the very first cupcake recipe can be found in a cookbook written by the American Eliza Leslie in 1828. By the way, cupcakes were eaten in England at the same time as they were at tea parties.
You can fill cupcakes, decorate them with marzipan or fondant, or just spray a nice clump on them. In fact, you can do anything, but a plain vanilla cupcake is still delicious.
Cupcakes are little cakes, so they are stored in the same way as a loaf cake most of the time. This only changes if you have decorated your cupcakes with a nice swirl or perhaps fondant or marzipan. You are probably wondering what’s the best way to store your (un)decorated cupcakes? And where is the best place to store cupcakes? We’re going to cover all of that today so you will know how to store and freeze cupcakes.
I like to prepare plain cupcakes this way and bake them in a large batch, so I can be sure the cupcakes will be at room temperature by the time I want to decorate them. And actually, cupcakes are so delicious on their own that decorations are not necessary at all. Especially when you flavored the batter of the cupcakes.
Undecorated cupcakes are always stored in an airtight container outside the refrigerator. This is because they will dry out in the fridge. You can only store them in the fridge if they are frosted. More on that later.
The cupcakes will keep for a couple of days (about 4-5 days). Plenty of time to prepare cupcakes for a birthday, bake sale, wedding or another special occasion. If you really want to prepare your baked goods in advance, you can also freeze cupcakes. Wrap them in freezer bags before putting them in the freezer. I prefer to do this in small portions of 3 or 4 cupcakes. They will keep in the freezer for 3 months.
Freezing cupcakes is ideal for preparing a lot of cupcakes, but also for those leftover cupcakes. It’s always a good idea to have some cupcakes in storage if you’ll ask me.
After you baked the cupcakes in their cupcake liners in a baking tray, place the warm cupcakes on a wire rack and allow them to cool completely. After that, store them in an airtight container or wrap them in aluminum foil, they will keep for 4-5 days.
Can you put cupcakes in the fridge? I wouldn’t do that with unfrosted cupcakes. It’s not necessary and the fridge will dry out your cupcakes.
Use a freezer bag for freezing cupcakes. They will keep for 3 months. Make sure they are packaged air tight, because air (and moisture) can cause freezer burn. Freeze them in small portions so you’ll always can take out some frozen cupcakes to enjoy.
I always wait with piping swirl just before serving. It’s the best option and gives the best results for frosted cupcakes in my experience. To make your baking life easier, I prepare the cupcakes and frosting in advance. it varies by frosting how I store them. Here are some examples of my most used frostings:
After the cupcakes are frosted, I alway try to serve them within hours and store them in a cool place outside of the fridge in the meantime (only with buttercream frosting). If that’s not possible for you or you live in a warmer climate, you can store them in the fridge. I would do this for 1-2 days. Remember: frostings like cream cheese frosting should always be stored in the fridge.
I would not freeze cupcakes with a swirl whole. When the buttercream thaws, there is a chance that the cream will split, which is not a good look. It is better to freeze the buttercream separately so you can whip it when it thaws. Or make the buttercream fresh just before you’ll need it.
If you have a large and high storage container: use it! There are also special (reusable) cupcake carriers available, which are ideal if you bake cupcakes often. They are available as single layer or double layer carriers.
Depending on the frosting (and temperature), it’s okay to store them for a few hours outside the fridge. But also: when transporting your cupcakes, this will mostly be at room temperature.
Most cupcakes with a nice (buttercream) swirl on top are stored in the fridge, especially during summer or if you live in a warmer climate. You can use the cupcake carrier and place that in the fridge as a whole.
I would advice to wrap them before you store them in the fridge. Proper storage is important. Remember: cake will dry out in the fridge. Storing them right will prevent this as much as possible.
I never freeze frosted cupcakes. Due to space, but also because the frosting can easily split when thawed. It just has too many risks. I would not advice to store frosted cupcakes in the freezer.
Many years ago, I decorated a lot of beautiful and delicious cupcakes with fondant and marzipan. Their shelf life is longer because you seal the cupcake completely with the fondant or marzipan. You are actually wrapping it very well.
You can’t store these cupcakes completely airtight, otherwise there is a chance that the fondant and marzipan decorations will become soft and sticky. Decorated cupcakes will keep outside the refrigerator for about 5-7 days.
You can also freeze these cupcakes. Place them in a cake box and wrap a plastic bag or saran wrap around them to protect them from moisture. The cupcakes will keep for 3 months in the freezer.
Although I do not recommend storing cupcakes in the refrigerator, it is best to let them thaw here after you take them out of the freezer. Defrosting “slowly” in the refrigerator reduces the cold/hot differential, which also reduces the chance of condensation. This condensation could cause your fondant decorations to melt. Also, the cupcake is sealed from the outside air by the decorations, which reduces the risk of drying out.
Place them in a container and don’t place the lid completely tight on it. Otherwise, the decorations could become sticky.
I don’t recommend to store decorated fondant or marzipan cupcakes in the fridge. The moisture can cause the decorations to melt.
Wrap them airtight and you can freeze them for up to 3 months. Defrost them ‘slowly’ in the fridge, it the best option due to condensation. Note: there will be condensation, but this way it’s minimal. After defrosting, place them on the counter and remove packaging so the dryer air can ‘remove’ the condensation.
If you are familiar with the Dutch ontbijtkoek, you know it’s good! It translates to breakfast cake and is often eaten for breakfast or as a nice snack. The most traditional way to serve ontbijtkoek is to take a slice of the spiced breakfast cake and spread it with a thick layer of butter. I’ll share my recipe for authentic ontbijtkoek with you!
The literal translation of ‘ontbijtkoek’ is breakfast cookie. But in English, that seems a bit weird and is not fitting. Breakfast cake or breakfast bread suits this recipe better. I prefer spiced breakfast cake due to the structure of the cake.
Ontbijtkoek is a very quick bread you make in a loaf pan. You can even make them smaller in mini loaves or even cupcake cases. This sweet bread has a wonderful moist, but dense texture. Especially homemade dutch spice cake! The flavors are amazing due to all the added spices and appelstroop. If you don’t have access to this Dutch product, you could also use molasses.
The breakfast cakes you can buy in a grocery store are usually a bit drier. Although they often have a sticky crust, just like a homemade loaf. If you are in The Netherlands and want tot buy one to take home: you’ll find it in the breakfast section. Usually next to crackers and ‘beschuit’ (another Dutch breakfast product).
A slice of this breakfast cake is the perfect sweet treat for me. I think my recipe is so good that it doesn’t need anything to go with it. But it is certainly possible if you want to. I will share my tips on how I serve my slice of store-bought breakfast cake (I admit, I still buy one from time to time).
Most Dutch people just take a slice and spread it with butter. It’s the most traditional way to eat it. Although ‘koekhappen’ is possibly even more traditional, I’ll tell you all about it after my serving suggestions!
I like to spread a slice with peanutbutter and if I’m in the mood for a real treat: I add some chocolate sprinkles. It’s amazing and you should really try it sometime. Another option I hear often is a nice layer of chocolate spread.
Time for some more Dutch traditions: koekhappen! It’s a popular thing to do on Kingsday, but you’ll see it at other festivities as wel. To explain what koekhappen is: you tighten a string from A to B just above your head and hang slices of spiced cake on it.
Participants must eat the ontbijtkoek with their hands behind their backs. It is a fun activity and usually not a competition. Although you could make it a competition to see who finishes their gingerbread first.
Ontbijtkoek is known by different names in The Netherlands, from honey cake to pepper cake (no, there’s no pepper in the recipe). The original name is ‘honingkoek’ which translates to honey cake. A long time ago, the recipe was made with honey. The honey was an expensive ingredient and was replaced with sugar. Which made it a spiced breakfast cake.
There are a lot of variations of breakfast cake. You could add nuts, ginger or a different spice mix. The recipe below is how I like my homemade breakfast cake best, for me it’s the real thing. But feel free to vary a bit.
I use all purpose flour, but you could also use whole wheat flour. With this alternative you don’t have to adjust the recipe. There are more options (rye flour for exemple), but I haven’t tested this yet. If you want to use rye flour, the recipe should be adapted.
Appelstroop is a key ingredient in ontbijtkoek. It is a (thick spreadable) dark syrup or jelly made from apples and sugar. It is most commonly used as a spread on bread, but can also be used as an ingredient in recipes for both hot and cold dishes.
If you are looking for a place to buy Dutch ingredients, I have a list of (web)shops that sell Dutch ingredients.
You can make it yourself with my recipe for speculaas spice mix. But you could also use gingerbread spice mix. It’s fine to leave out the ginger powder or use less than stated in the recipe. Most important is to have a variety of spices in you breakfast cake for the best result.
No, it isn’t. I love a slice of ontbijtkoek as a snack, but it’s definitely not a healthy snack.
As a Dutchie myself, you won’t be surprised I have many more Dutch recipes on my blog. Here are a few of my (and your!) favorites:
If you are missing any Dutch recipes, please let me know! I have many more Dutch recipes on my Dutch blog to translate. Here you can find all of my Dutch baking recipes in English.
If you’re like me and make banana bread in bulk as a healthy snack, you want to know how to store banana bread! I’ll tell you a few simple steps for what’s the best way to keep you banana bread fresh.
All my tips are the things I’ve tested and experienced myself with my recipe for healthy banana bread. It’s the perfect recipe to use your overripe bananas to make a quick bread that is easy and delicious.
Let start at the beginning, right after your homemade banana bread comes out of the oven. Of course, you let it cool first until the bread is at room temperature. After that, you can decide how you want to store it. I’ll start with storing on room temperature, followed by storing your banana bread in the freezer (and how to thaw it correctly).
I always store my banana bread at room temperature, the shelf life of banana bread is 2-3 days this way. Most of the time, I just wrap the entire loaf in aluminum foil and place it on the kitchen counter.
When I don’t use aluminum foil, I use an airtight container or a ziploc freezer bag to store my loaf of banana bread. You could also use you loaf pan when you store the bread om room temperature.
I never store my banana bread in the refrigerator by the way. It is possible, but I find that the colder temperature makes your banana bread less moist and if not packaged well, it can dry out your loaf too. I’ll just store it for a few days on the counter, and after that in the freezer. That works best for me.
During summer, 2-3 days on room temperature can be tricky. I don’t want to take any risks during those hot summer days and will store them in a cool place, but still outside of the fridge. If it’s really hot were you live, I would advice to store the bread in the fridge.
I also keep my banana bread on the counter for just 1 day when it’s warm in my kitchen. Just to be sure.
When I make banana bread, I often make two at once. Way too much for me to eat in 2-3 days. That’s why I love to slice my banana bread up and store them as individual slices.
You can wrap the slices up in aluminum foil, small freezer bags or in an airtight container. If you want to store multiple slices in one container of bag, place a piece of parchment paper between the slices. This way it’s easy to get one out if you decide to freeze them.
If you want to store whole loaves or even half loaves, the ways of storing will be the same.
Okay, now on to the freezing part. Banana bread freezes very well. It’s a great way to enjoy your banana bread for a longer period of time.
In the freezer you can store it up to 3 months. Store it airtight with no air in the packaging, otherwise you could experience freezer burn.
We already spoke about the packaging earlier in this article. But I will tell you again in short: aluminum foil, a plastic bag or an airtight container. After that, just put the wrapped banana bread in the freezer.
There are two ways I thaw my easy banana bread recipe. On room temperature when I’m not in a hurry, or in a toaster when I have less time (or just want a slice of warm banana bread).
I always try to remember to get 1-2 slices of banana bread out of the freezer so they will be thawed the next day. If I forget, I take it out in the morning. It takes about 1-2 hours foor 2 slices to be completely thawed. After that, the banana bread will still have that moist texture.
If you froze your whole loaf of fresh banana bread, it will take longer to thaw. Allow the bread to thaw for 3-4 hours.
Important note: always leave your banana bread in the packaging while it’s on the counter to thaw.
I really enjoy a slice of warm toasted banana bread in the morning. Put your frozen banana bread in the toaster and toast it for about 4-5 minutes. It varies how long it will take depending on your toaster and the thickness of your slices.
When I have slices of warm banana bread, I really like to make a delicious breakfast out of it. A few of my favorite things: serve it with some Greek yoghurt and blueberries. Or with peanutbutter, a perfect combination. And if you’re in for a treat: make french toast out of your leftover banana bread! It’s the best thing I’ve tried with my banana bread.
